May 3rd, 7 am, Conference hall, Altheria Academy
Students, teachers and other staff were called out early in the morning. Though they were, not a single soul knows what was happening.
Of course, some can guess what it may be about.
Their suspicions were confirmed when the principal walked on stage. Behind him were his two maids, Ophelia and Faith.
The murmuring could not stop. They couldn't stop wondering what was so important that they would have to be forcefully woken up, early in the morning.
Weissmann sauntered to the lectern and put his arms on its sides, lowering himself, so that his voice would be captured by the lectern microphone.
Once he saw that the majority of the crowd's attention was on him, he spoke.
"Good morning, everyone. I'm sorry for calling you out so early."
He started with a brief introduction.
"As most of you should know, I'm Weissmann Mori, the principal of this school. And today, I have something to tell you all."
Weissmann stopped cold to create a tense atmosphere in the room. He cleared his throat and continued.
"Today, Valhalla, a dangerous terrorist group, shall attack the school."
The moment his sentence finished, whispers began to spread across the room.
Some voices were filled with worry while others were filled with fear or doubt.
"Silence!"
The voice echoed.
Faith shouted, stopping the chatter.
The maid used Sound Magic to amplify her voice.
"Master Weissmann shall continue."
She announced.
The principal smiled nervously at Faith and then continued with his speech.
"I found out a few days ago. As much as I wanted to tell you all, I didn't know what to do at the time. But someone's determination got to me. I noticed that they wanted to help despite themselves being a student."
He took a cursory glance at Shoya, who was at the middle-back.
"That is why I am telling you now. Because I trust you all to protect yourselves. And, of course, our staff shall protect all of you as well."
The man took a deep breath before speaking.
"What they want is to... Is to destroy the school."
Ayaka, standing in line with the other teachers, twitched. Shoya gurned at the man.
"That is why I need your help! Every single one of you! We need to stop Valhalla in its tracks! Please! Lend me your strength!"
There was a short-lived silence.
The next second, the room was filled with cheers. They didn't begin to second guess Weissmann Mori's decision and story. They believed him.
They believed IN him.
Weissmann bowed and smiled. He then walked off stage after his short speech.
The real purpose of the speech wasn't to raise morale or to ask the students and teachers for help, but to force them to agree.
Weissmann had set conditions for this.
First, to not tell the students about the attack until the final day. This was to force their hand. The fact that Valhalla would attack today would put them in a state of urgency. They were bound to agree, for that reason and because it was Weissmann asking.
Secondly, He would need to make up a selfless reason to ask the students and teachers for their help. Something that would make them want to protect themselves and others. The only thing that would apply to everyone was the school.
And finally, he would need to sound convincing. He did just that with his hesitation and cold stops.
It was all to increase the chances of himself surviving. Even someone like Weissmann cannot survive a whole army of Streia going after him...
--
What?
Why did he lie like that?
This guy...
He looked at me when he was talking about a student's determination got to him, but I highly doubt it.
I accepted my weakness in that office. When Ayaka and Ophelia were telling me, he didn't say anything.
Weissmann has everyone wrapped around his finger, but why?
The reason why Valhalla is attacking is to kill him so...
Oh... Is that it?
Is he afraid of dying?
I wanted to get out of the hall, but I didn't since barely anyone was trying to head back to their dorms.
"Shoya."
Despite the crowd, Ayaka somehow found her way through.
"Ayaka. What's going on? Why is he lying like that? When he was talking, I felt something... It was weird. I could've sworn I had felt it somewhere else before."
Ayaka stared at me before gasping. She looked surprised.
"What is it?"
I asked.
She moved in, closer to my ear.
"That feeling is Black Exodia... Its power isn't only to negate other Singularities but to sense their activation too. What Weissmann was using was a Singularity, though, even I don't know what it is."
I felt her warm voice graze my ear. It felt nice...
The nurse moved away.
Ahem. Okay, so, Black Exodia has two abilities, it seems. That's new to m-.
"What's that?"
Someone pointed out.
Everyone turned to the ceiling. From the large window, multiple shadows jumped through.
The glass shattered as everyone ducked. Students started evacuating immediately.
People, wearing black uniforms, and white arrowheads on them, landed in the conference room.
One girl zipped down from a wire and landed in the middle of the men. She swiped her hand and the men got onto their knees.
I knew that girl.
There was no way of mistaking it.
The black hair and silver eyes.
Yumeko...
"Hello, everyone! We are here from Valhalla! You guys better run since we aren't here for you..."
Her voice slowly faded. Yumeko sounded angry.
"We won't kill students, however, teachers... Maybe."
One more person zipped in from the roof.
"And now, you'll want run in fear. Because..."
A tall man. One of his eyes was closed due to a scar. He has short, brown hair and brown eyes. There was one person I knew who looked like that.
"That speech... It was only a prelude to destruction!"
She shouted.
Most people turned to tail and ran while some stayed to fight.
Me, on the other hand, I couldn't move. It wasn't fear that kept me in place, but anger. He may look slightly different, but I know it's him. That man...
"Now, where is Weissmann?"
He muttered before his eyes landed on me.
"Oh... If it isn't Shoya Sasaki? You don't remember me, do you?"
"Gilheld..."
Gilheld was taken aback as I called his name.
"Bravo! You remember! Sorry, but I don't want to kill a Sasaki today. Do you mind telling me wh-"
Gilheld instinctively turned and punched at the air. Whatever was going to him dodged and jabbed him in the gut.
"Nice one, Aihara."
"Shut up, Gilheld! I'll kill you!"
It was Ai-nee. She was facing Gilheld.
What do I do now?
Do I run, like how Ai-nee would want me to, or fight?